Expanded metal structure.



N0. 65!,643. Patented June I2, I900. H. E. WHITE.

EXPANDED METAL STRUCTURE.

(Application filed Jim. 18, 1899. Renewed.Mar. 29, 1900.)

2 Sheats$hee.t I.

(No Model.)

INVENTO]? W/TNESSES M47,674447;4 W? 5,- 2

No. 65!,643. Patented lune l2, I900. H. E. WHl-TE.

EXPANDED METAL STRUCTURE.

(Application filed Jan. 18, 1899. Renewed Mar, 29, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOI? A TTOHNE Y THE NORR|$ Pz'rsns o0. mom-urns. WASHINGTON, n. c,

UNITED STATES HERBERT E. WHITE,

PATENT @FFICE.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

EXPANDED TA STRUCTURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651 ,643, dated June 12, 1900.

Application filed January 18,1899. Renewed March 29, 1900. Serial No. 10,700. (No model-i T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERBERT E. WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Expanded MetalStructures, of which the following is a description, referring to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

The object of the invention is to simplify and perfect expanded sheet-metal structures of the slatted type, in which the slatted structure is produced by a series of parallel cuts or slits arranged like a parallelogram and by the subsequent opening or expanding of the slitted portion. Heretofore it has been thought advantageous, if not absolutely necessary, to form channels or grooves in the ribs between the slatted areas. For instance, in the patent to Gibson, No. 451,418, granted April 28, 1891, the corrugations are shown with their 'bottomslying in the same plane. The subject-matter set forth in Hiltons patent, No. 588,576, granted August 24, 1897, resides in the grooves or corruga tions being placed alternately in the opposite faces of the structure and also in the slats of the adjoining rows sloping in opposite directions. So far as I have been able to ascertain it makes not the least difference Whether the slits of adjacent series of slits have the same inclination or are oppositely inclined, except so far as it determines the necessary shape of the original blank. It would seem as though in previous attempts to make this style of structure as exemplified by the two patents referred to the corrugations have been considered as a fundamental requisite to the regular and proper eXpand-' ing and stiffness of the slatted structure. I have discovered that by merely turning the longitudinal ribs or strips of metalwhich are left between the slitted and slatted portions tend to turn or bend in a more natural manner, and at the same time, owing to the great inclination of the ribs, the stiffness heretofore produced by corrugations is obtained without them. In addition the ribs form shelves or steps which are of great value When the expanded structure is used for metal lathing, because the steps or shelves arrest the natural tendency of mortar or plaster, particularly while wet, to slip downward. The nature of the invention will be best understood by the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a face elevation, and Fig. 2 an edge or side elevation of one form of the expanding metal structure embodying my invention. Fig. 3 shows the slitted sheet. Fig. 4 shows a slight modification. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 show by edge or side view, similar to Fig. 2, three modifications of the complete structure; and Fig. 8 illustrates an already-known form.

Throughout the drawings like letters and numerals of reference indicate similar parts.

To avoid ambiguity, I will refer to the narrow strips S between the adjacent slits as f slats and to unslitted strips or areas R as C ibs.

Starting with the slitted plates or blanks, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4., it will be seen that the chief difference between Figs. 3 and 4 lies in the fact that in Fig. 4 the slits of adjoining series areoppositely or symmetrically placed, whereas in Fig. 3 the ends of the slits of adjoining series break joints or alternate. In other words, in Fig. 4 the ends of slits s s are opposite each other, while in Fig. 3 the ends 8 alternate. I prefer the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, which produces the structure shown as Fig. 1, because it is stronger for a given amount of metal. This is due to the fact that the distance between the two points marked sin Fig. lis. less than the distance between the points .9 in Fig. 3, and'if-the metal tears it will tend to tear along the line between such points. In Fig. 3 I have shown by heavy lines that the slits of adjacent series instead of being oppositely inclined may be all inclined in the same direction without departing from the principles of the invention.

Prior to my invention slitted structures,

such as shown in Fig. 3, have been expanded by twisting and expanding the slats between the ribs numbered 1 and 2 in opposite directions from the twists given to the slats between ribs 2 and 3that is to say, if while holding rib 2 stationary rib 1 be twisted backward from the plane of rib 2 it will open out the slattedjstructure' and, similarly, if rib 3 is pressed backward from the plane of ribs 2 and 4 and simultaneously the extreme end ribs 1 and 4 are drawn apart the structure will be opened in the manner shown in Fig. 8, and by grooving or corrugatin g the ribs the structure may be made to lie comparatively flatas is, for instance, described in the Gibson patent. whether the slits are all inclined in the same direction or alternately, as indicated by the full lines and the dotted lines in Fig. 3. I have discovered, however, that by turning all the 1 structure,consi sting of slatted open-work portions or sections, separated by ribs which are substantially on edge, that is to say greatly inclined to the general plane of the struc- ;ture, substantially as set forth.

ribs slightly in the same direction, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or, in other words, by moving the rib No. 1 backward from plane of ribs 2, 3, and 4 in expanding the first section and moving the ribs 2 and 3 backward in the same manner, a far better structure may be pro- '1 structure consisting of slatted open-work por- }tions or sections separated by ribs which at their junction with the slats are all turned or inclined in the same direction forming a stepjlike or shelf-like arrangement, substantially i'as set forth.

duced, in which the ribs are not corrugated or bent, but lie transversely to the general plane of the expanded structure, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It will also be seen that slats S lie substantially at right angles to the ribs R and also on edge or at right angles to the general plane of the expanded structure. In short, the ribs R and the slats are both substantially on edge.

In addition the ribs R form shelves or steps admirably adapted to support plaster or mortar when the structure is used for lathing.

Vith the exception of the opposite inclination 1 structure consisting of slatted open-work portions or sections separated by ribs, the said ribs and the slats being transverse to each of the slats S of successive sections or series it will be seen that all the sections of the slatted portions are exactly identical one with the other, and if the slits of adjacent portions are inclined in the same direction instead of oppositely even this difference will disappear, Fig. 3, dotted lines.

Fig. 2 shows the structure of Fig. 1 as viewed from the left of Fig. 1. Fig. 2 would, however, be the same if it illustrated the expansion of a sheet in which all the slits in all the sections were inclined in-the same direction.

In Fig. 5 I illustrate the effect of channeling or corrugating one rib R and then expanding the sections 1 and 2 in one direction and sections 3 and 4: in the other direction.

In Fig. 6 I show a modification of the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, which differs from the latter. only in the twisting and turning or flattening of the slats S. This form may be viewed, therefore, as Fig. 2 modified by the subsequent flattening of the slats S.

In Fig. 7 I show a further modification of the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the difference in this instance being due to the double This result will be produced equally j secure as characteristic of the invention ;which is the subject-matter of this specification, are as follows:

corrugation in each of the ribs B". To per mit this corrugation, a greater width of metal in the ribs R" is provided. Without the corrugation the rib would be of the width indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7. As a result of the corrugations shown in Fig. 7 the finished structure presents a peculiarly-flat even form of minimum thickness. The thickness,

indeed, only 'slightly, if at all, exceeds the width of the individual slats S.

The form shown in Fig. 6, while embodying my invention, includesalso a feature invented by Alexander P. White.

Similarly, the form shown in Fig. '7, while embodying my invention, presents additional features.

The features which I claim, and desire to 1. The slitted and expanded sheet-metal 2. The slitted and expanded sheet-metal 3. The slitted and. expanded sheet-metal structure consisting of slatted open-work portions or sections separated by ribs, the said ribs being uncorrugated and greatly inclined to the general plane of the structure, sub stantially as set forth.

4. The slitted and expanded sheet-metal other and greatly inclined to the general plane of the structure substantially as set forth.

5. An expanded sheet-metal structure characterized by one or more intermediate ribs R between slatted sections, the slats S on one side of the rib being bent backward from the the medial plane of the entire structure, substantially as set forth.

Signed this 17th day of January, 1890, at New York city, New York.

HERBERT E. WHITE.

Witnesses:

A. P. WHITE, HAROLD BINNEY. 

